1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hunting bows, and more particularly to a crossbow having a stock rotatable between an open and closed position.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELEVANT ART
Designers of crossbows are continually seeking new and improved systems adapted to permit ease of manufacture, as well as efficiency of storage and handling. In order to be a useful, marketable and profitable venture, such a design should allow the full range of use as does any conventionally designed crossbow, yet should also be a versatile design, simple to mass produce, package and market.
Such conventionally designed crossbows are normally manufactured with the stock and barrel as one integral unit. The manufacture of such a crossbow would essentially necessitate a dedicated facility adapted to produce only this type of crossbow. However, this dedication of resources is too costly a proposition in today's diversified and competitive business arena.
Additionally, the size and bulkiness of such crossbows make it a difficult venture for hunters to carry and transport the weapon from one location to another. Further, given the fact that different archers have different physiques, some adaptation of the archer to the particular bow is normally required. The optimum full-draw position of the bow involves the gripping of the bow with one hand and the drawing back of the string with the other until the string touches the archer's cheekbone below his sighting eye. The arm holding the bow is thus extended to establish the draw length at the correct distance forwardly from the fixed reference point constituted by the archer's cheekbone. Since the stock of the crossbow butts against the archerk's shoulder, and since different physiques have different arm lengths, the length of the stock in relation to the rest of the crossbow must accommodate the individual archer's draw.
An additional consideration concerns handicapped persons, for whom many states reserve special time during the hunting season. These persons often need a customized stock in order to operate a crossbow. However, the purchase of such a crossbow may be cost prohibitive for the person, due to the fact that the entire crossbow has to be specially manufactured when the stock and crossbow are built as one integral unit. Small bow manufacturers could not afford to produce such a customized bow for a limited market, and large manufacturers would have to charge a premium to cover the cost of the special tooling involved.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a stock which can be rotated into a closed position in order to provide ease of carry and transport. Further, it would be desirable to provide such a stock on a crossbow which is removable and wherein a differently configured and sized stock may be substituted on the crossbow barrel, including such a stock customized for handicapped persons. In addition, it would be desirable to provide such a stock which can be manufactured in the same facility with variously sized stocks or with conventional stocks, with essentially only minor modification to the existing facilities.